Little Red Riding Kido
by LateNight-Drive
Summary: Based on 'Little Red Riding Hood'; It started out as an ordinary visit to a small house in the woods, but an unexpected encounter turns Kido's life upside down.
1. Chapter 1

Kido remembered often visiting a house in the forest with her big sister Ayano when she was little. They would follow the street until it entered the forest and from there on they followed faded trails and hidden paths, until they reached a river. Kido remembered that this was always her favourite part of their journey because the river shimmered and glittered in the warm midday sun like sugar sprinkled on the pastries she liked so much. After following the river for a while and then walking a few more snaky paths, they would arrive at a small, but very pretty house in the middle of a meadow in the woods. Kido remembered the smell of freshly baked bread.

They would be greeted by a young girl in a lovely blue dress and frilly white apron without fail, and spend the afternoon together until it was time to head back when the sun stood low in the sky. She remembered holding tightly onto her big sister's dress when they had left too late by accident and the sky had already darkened. Ayano would always give her a smile and whisper comforting words into the darkness. The path was dangerous and one had to be careful, but the older girl would simply wrap her red scarf around them both and confidently lead the way.

However, those were only memories. Her big sister was long gone, and just like Ayano's bright smile, their frequent visits to the small house in the forest had ceased. But still, Kido held onto those memories dearly. They were comforting, and even though it hurts sometimes, they never fail to put a slight smile on her face.

Kido was now a girl of sixteen years. Old enough to wander the forest on her own, and so she decided to pay that mysterious girl at the radiant river and the whispering trees a long delayed visit. That girl had to be lonely. And Kido was sure Ayano wouldn't want that. She was always intent on securing other people's happiness after all.

Taking a last look at the mirror in front of her, she readied herself for her journey. She wore a fluffy red dress and a white apron with colourful embroidered flowers on it. It wasn't exactly her taste, but her sister had always praised her looks whenever she wore dresses, and their mother always seemed in a good mood when Kido wore the clothes she had made for her. So she could put up with feeling a little embarrassed in this dress, if it made her happy. She put on her brown boots and, of course, her red hood.

The whole village knew Kido for her red hood and contrasting green hair. It was so eye-catching that most villagers called her 'Red Riding Hood' instead of her real name. Sometimes she wondered if they even knew her real name at all. Kido tied the hood's ribbon at her neck and quickly glanced at her reflection in the glass of the cabinet she was passing by in the hallway.

She wore a lot of red. It's the colour of a hero after all.

Collecting her basket with small presents and goods for the lonely girl in the woods Kido embraced her parents and said her goodbyes.

"So far, so good." She thought as she exited the village. As she stood before the forest she noticed a slight feeling of, what was it? Excitement? Nerviness? Fear? She knew of the scary stories the villagers told among themselves. Wolves will attack little children playing too close to the woods, bandits will steal your belongings and kidnap young women, and people will simply lose their way in the tricky forest and die of starvation.

She shuddered at the thought. At least there weren't any ghost stories. She could handle the rest, she was sure.

As she sat foot into the cool woods however, a strange feeling of security settled in her chest. The trees were dancing with the wind in a slow cadenced rhythm and the birds joined in with songs fitting of the atmosphere. So she walked for a while. And walked. And walked, and walked. And stopped.

Wasn't there a rustling just now?

She turned to look at the bushes surrounding the trail she was walking on. Her eyes narrowed, piercing through the leaves in an attempt to find any predators. She would make sure to give them a good beating if anyone tried to ambush her right now. Just because a girl is wearing a cute dress and carrying a basket full of sweets doesn't mean she's defenceless. Especially not Kido.

She didn't hear anymore movements, so she continued on her way, eyeing the bushes around her cautiously.

_Snap._

"Who's there?" she asked sternly into the woods, alerted by the sound of a twig snapping. Sure, it could have been a harmless animal, but why take any chances?

Of course, no answer came. Who would be stupid enough to answer to someone they're trying to ambush. She felt a little embarrassed for asking something so senseless. Since she was sure no answer would come, she kept walking on. What else could she do in a situation like this?

A bump, a gasp and a hissed "Ouch!" had her jumping into the scrub she assumed the sound came from. A kick, a yelp, and in a matter of seconds Kido had pinned the ominous pursuer to the ground.

Serious charcoal eyes stared into widened golden ones.

Beneath her was a boy roughly her age, wearing an old light brown shirt and tattered black pants. He was barefoot and dirty and his choppy hair stood up in various directions, but what made him most peculiar were his wolf tail and ears. They stared at each other for a while. The boy was shocked he was caught in the act, while the girl was shocked that the boy before her was apparently not human. After a few moments of silent staring Kido decided to take action.

"Who are you? Hell, what even are you? And most importantly, why were you following me?" She glared at him.

"Hahaha! Oh man, looks like you caught me, huh? I should have been more careful.." the boy said with a nervous laugh. He quickly regained composure and his eyes took on a sharp edge, a grin spreading across his face that would put the Cheshire cat's to shame.

"My, those are a lot of questions, you know? You sure are a nosy girl, aren't ya?"

"Shut up!" Kido shouted, "Answer them right now, or I swear you won't know what's hit you."

"Huh? How am I supposed to tell you when you just told me to keep my mouth shut? You make no sense, girl." The mysterious boy chuckled.

And Kido straight out slapped his face for it.

"I said," she took hold of his collar and pulled him up close to her face.

"Answer. The. Questions." Her eyes were shooting daggers at him right now.

"H-hey! No need to get violent here, okay? Geez, why do I always pick the defiant ones?" he wailed and held his cheek in pain. Again, his face suddenly took on mischievous features, as he looked right into her eyes.

"As you wish, love. Who I am? You can call me Kano. What I am? Why, I am a werewolf, dearest. And why was I following you? Well, the answer to that is, ..."

With a swift roll to the side and a few coordinated movements he had her pinned beneath him and towered over her dangerously.

"The answer to that is, I was following you, because you're going to be my dinner tonight."

Kido could only stare in shock. Had he just called her dinner? As in, chop up, cook in a pot and serve on a plate, kind of dinner? She was completely taken aback by his statements. He was a werewolf? What did that even mean? And how the hell was he able to move so fast?  
Her mind was filled with questions she couldn't quite get out of her throat right now.

"Oh my gosh!" the werewolf laughed. "You should see your face right now! Priceless!" Kano bubbled over with laughter, his strong hold on Kido's arms never even once faltering. Tears were already forming in his eyes and it made Kido angry. His laughter was so, so annoying.

She knew she was going to hate this guy. His claw like hands were digging into her arms, and it hurt. She struggled against his hold, the occasional curse slipping out of her mouth when her attempts were futile.

"Stop struggling already, it's no use." The wolf boy said in a playful voice. He leaned down until his face was right next to hers and whispered into her ear.

"Now it's my turn to ask the questions."

She could feel his breath disgustingly close to her face and shuddered.

"So!" he sat up again. "Since you seem to like invasive questions, I'm gonna give you some! And you," he jabbed a finger at her forehead, "will answer them all. Truthfully. Trust me, I know how to spot a lie."

Kido opened her mouth to protest, but was shushed by Kano's hand clamping her mouth shut. So instead, she growled at him.

"Ah, ah, ah! I didn't say you were allowed to speak just yet, did I?" he grinned.

"So, first question. What's your name? Why did you think walking alone in these woods would be a good idea? And what is in that incredibly tasty smelling basket you carry around with you? Now you may speak!" he removed his hand from her mouth, just to be met with a colourful array of curse words.

He quickly put his hand back on her face.

"This is going to be tedious for both of us if you don't cooperate, missy! Now be a good girl and answer the questions~." He removed his hand once again. Kido couldn't believe how cocky this guy was. The next chance she got she was going to wipe that smug grin off his face once and for all. But for now she would have to go along with what this guy wants, just enough for him to let his guard down.

"My name," she glared up at him, "is Kido."

"And I have some business to do in this forest, so get off me!"

"I see, Kido it is! And what kind of business does Kido have to do that involves a basket full of delicious pastries?"

God, was he nosy. How he figured out she was carrying pastries with her was beyond her.

"I'm visiting someone." Kido said through clenched teeth. "Now get off me! I still have quite a distance to go, so stop wasting my time." She made an effort to get up again, but he was still straddling her waist and holding onto her arms. He didn't seem to want to let her go any time soon.

An arrogant laugh escaped his lips. "Do you still think I'll let you escape? Are you dense? I already told you, didn't I? I'm going to eat you up." he smirked down at her, his face bursting with confidence and complacency. For a moment Kido actually felt a tinge of fear, that was until a low growl emitted right from the boy's belly and his expression shifted to one of embarrassment.

Kido saw her chance and quickly twisted her way out of his grip and, while getting up, landed a kick into his already aching stomach.

A sharp hiss and a yelp escaped the werewolf as he curled up and held his belly in pain.

"Ow ow ow, oh man, that really hurt! My own stomach betrayed me! And I was being so cool there, too.." All traces of the boy before her being a predator had vanished. He seemed pretty pathetic now, to be honest.

"Ah, it's no use then." Kano said while sitting up. He still held his stomach. "Just go, visit your friend. I'm no match for you in this state, am I?" He looked to the side so he wouldn't have to meet her gaze. The tips of his ears were twitching from embarrassment. That slip up of his must have really scratched at his ego if he was willing to let her go just like that, even though he'd been so intent on keeping her in place just a few moments ago.

She looked at his bony figure and something tugged at Kido's heart. She felt pity for the boy. Now that she got to examine him in more detail she noticed he didn't seem to be in an awfully good state. He was thin and dirty, and his arms and legs were full of scratches and small bruises. He must live here in the woods, Kido thought.

So maybe he knows the way? Or a short cut, maybe. Kido hated to admit, but she wasn't so sure of her surroundings anymore. Did she take the right path, or had the old one become overgrown with trees and bushes? The only thing Kido was sure of was that a guide of sorts would be helpful.

"Hey." She spoke up and the boy turned to look at her again.

"Let's make a deal. Kano, was it?" This seemed to spark his interest. All embarrassment gone from his face, he sported a curious smile and his ears perked up and his tail started wiggling from side to side.

"Listen, do you know a small house, somewhere here in the forest, that's close to the river? A girl lives there." There wouldn't be too many girls living alone in the woods, so that description would have to be enough.

He nodded his head. "Yeah, I think I know it. The one that always smells like baked goods, right?"

"Exactly." So he knew the way.

"So what's the deal? Do you want me to blow it away like the big bad wolf I am?" he chuckled.

"No, I don't. That was a horrible joke, by the way."

"Thank you. So, what's the deal then?"

"You'll take me to that place. No detours and no trying to eat me. And I'll let you have some of these." Kido held up the basket of pastries and the fruity smell of the small cakes invaded Kano's sensitive nose. He'd already smelled them before, but now with the basket so close to his face, he could feel his mouth watering. He was hungry. And he hadn't had a decent meal in a few days. Berries didn't really satisfy his half human, half beast stomach, and while he surely would prefer the tender meat of a rabbit, deer, or really anything else, a sugary pastry would fill the void in his belly just fine. It's been a while since he had one of those.

He eagerly nodded his head. Sure, he would have to put up with the feisty beast in front of him, but maybe that would make for an interesting memory. And who knows, if he played his cards right, he might still be able to catch her on her way back home and have a full-fledged dinner after all.

"Sure! I'll do it! Just gimme something to eat first, or I might collapse!" He put on a pleading face and dramatically covered his eyes with his arm. What a joker, huh?

She handed him some of the pastries and he literally devoured them. She'd never seen anybody eat so eagerly. Even at the annual village festival, where the men were drunk, the women were dancing and food was generously placed in the village's centre, people didn't gobble their food like him. And she always thought they were disgustingly piggish.

"You look like you didn't eat in weeks." She deadpanned.

"I did eat, juf not fo much!" he spoke with a full mouth. Kido slapped the back of his head, which caused him to choke a little. "Swallow first, it's unsightly to talk with your mouth full of food! Seriously, were you raised in the woods?"

She realized how dumb that statement was the second it slipped out of her mouth. Yes, of course he was.

He desperately tried to cough up a piece that got stuck in his throat while wheezing out choked laughter. After a few moments he managed to breathe and his mocking laughter echoed through the forest.

"Ha! Oh my god, that was a good one! And you say my jokes are bad!" he managed to say between giggles. He wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye to mock her further. "Wow, this is gonna be a fun journey, phew!"

Now it was Kido's turn to feel embarrassed. She quickly pulled her hood down to hide her eyes and turned her back to him. "A-anyway, let's just go! You're done eating, right? We've lost enough time as it is, we're lucky if we even get there before nightfall!"

She started walking ahead. As she thought, she had pretty much lost her orientation by this time and was fully dependent on the mischievous boy at her side. They had wasted half a day already. She remembered the journey to take one or two hours at most. But with that guy in tow and no idea where she was, she really just wanted to get to her destination before it got dark. That girl would surely let her stay the night.

"Since the house is by the river we should head there first!" Kano said as he closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate on something. Kido could see his ears twitching.

"It's this way." He said and pointed into the direction the river lay in.

"Did you find that out just by listening?"  
"Yup!"  
"I don't hear anything."  
"That's because you're merely human, Kido."

Wow, way to be too full of yourself, Kido thought. But if it was in her favour, he could pull his bizarre werewolf tricks as much as he liked. Kido couldn't help but feeling wary about this guy though. He was a werewolf, he said. And as far as Kido knew, those were monsters. People who hide themselves among humans, and once full moon arrives, they turn into wolves and attack sheep, cattle and even humans. But he seemed to be more of a wolf-human mix than anything. She would need to find out more about him if she were to trust this guy.

After walking a while in silence, Kano decided to spark a conversation.

"So, you like red, huh?" His gaze scanned her from head to toes. With this get up it was sure people would assume she was some sort of red fanatic, she guessed.

"Um, yeah." She replied. "It's a nice colour. It means a lot to me."

"That's good! I once knew a person who liked red a lot, too."

What a strange statement, Kido thought.

* * *

Characters and Kangerou Project belong to Jin


	2. Chapter 2

They'd been walking for some time now, but the river still wasn't even within earshot to Kido. She started doubting if trusting Kano was a good idea. But what unnerved her most was that the weather had decided to mess with her already strained patience. The sky had grown dark and cloudy and the wind was picking up quite a bit, making her dress and hair blow in the breeze.

A storm was coming up.

Oh, this was just perfect. Lost in the woods with a suspicious guy and getting caught in a storm. Kido's lucky agenda.

"Damn it..." She cursed under her breath. "At this rate we won't get there before night. We should find a shelter or something. Do you know any around here?" She turned to the boy and raised her eyebrows in a questioning way.

"I don't know, there might be a cave or something around here..." Kano said, looking around the area to estimate their situation. He knew all too well that storms were dangerous, especially in the forest. He'd sensed that a storm was approaching this morning already, but the shelter he'd planned to wait it out in was at the other side of the forest. His encounter with the red clad girl really had thrown all his plans to waste.

It would be best to find a cave. When he'd been a kid he once hid inside of a hollow tree. That was the day he learned that sometimes trees get thrown over by strong winds and that breaking a bone hurts like hell. Besides, trees catch fire when lightning strikes. And while he hadn't experienced that first hand, he knew that being near a forest fire was certain death.

Whatever, he had to find a place that at least protected them from the wind.

He glanced over to the girl who wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm against the sharp wind that had considerably dropped in temperature. Seeing this made him think, how much was a human even able to endure? He didn't really know much about humans. He knew what they tasted like and that they liked to live together in settlements, but he had no idea about what the human body can do and what it can't. Should he be worried about that girl? Could she handle this weather? Humans always hid in their houses when the weather got bad after all.

Well, if she was going to die it would save him a lot of trouble.

But all hopes aside, a shelter needed to be found, for his own sake.

"I think I know a place! It's a bit of a detour though." He turned to Kido, who was obviously annoyed by their situation. Another set back? She wasn't sure if she wanted that. But the weather didn't really allow anything else.

"Fine." She sighed. "Just take us there quickly."

"Alright!" Kano grinned and grabbed her arm to pull her along, much to Kido's dismay. "Come on, it's gonna start raining soon~."

After running to a small makeshift hut at the bottom of a rock Kido sat down on the floor and tried to calm her breathing. Kano had been running so fast she could barely even keep up, and him pulling her along didn't help her stumbling at all. Kano himself wasn't the least bit out of breath. It was embarrassing.

She looked around the place. It consisted of a single room. A chair stood in the corner and was the only piece of furniture. This had to be an abandoned hunter's hideout. The wind whistled through the wooden boards that barricaded the windows and the whole hut creaked in the wind, but it was good enough of a shelter to wait the storm out.

Kido was ripped out of her thoughts when she felt someone plopping down next to her. She turned to glare at the boy who was sitting way too close and grinning way too wide for her taste.

"Tired?" He asked and gave her a condescending smirk.

"Not tired enough to let you get this close." She spat as she harshly pushed him away from her.

The wolf just chuckled. "For a human you're still in high spirits!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kido gave him an irritated look. 'For a human', he says. As if it was something to be ashamed of.

"I don't know, aren't you humans scared of weather like this or something?"

"No?"

"Huh, I always thought you hid in your little houses because you were scared." Kano mentioned nonchalantly.

"We live in houses because it's comfortable and safe and it keeps us warm. Not because we're scared, idiot." Kido pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. She was disgruntled, to say the least. She had promised her parents to be back before night, or at least tomorrow morning, but now it seemed she would have to spend the night here and hope the weather clears up in the morning. "With a werewolf, no less." She thought. There was no doubt her parents were worried about her, with the storm and all. And to be completely honest, Kido was a little scared. And she missed home. This was the first time she'd been away from her family.

She could really use her mother's warm soup and a peaceful evening in front of the fireplace right now.

"So I don't have to worry about you dropping dead suddenly or anything, right?" The wolf boy once again interrupted her thoughts.

"Don't get your hopes up." Kido simply retorted and wrapped the cape that was attached to her hood around herself to keep the cold out. Now that the sun was hidden behind the clouds and night was nearing the temperature had dropped significantly once again.

Kano watched her in amusement. Those puny humans really didn't last long in the wilderness, huh? But he couldn't help but feel pity for the girl. It wasn't her fault she was born such a weak species after all, and to be honest, he felt a little chilly, too. So he scooted closer to the green haired girl until their shoulders touched and wrapped his arm around her back.

"W-what are you doing?" She yelled and leaned away from him.

"Come on, I can tell you're cold! There's no deceiving me, you know?" The wolf whispered in a teasing fashion while flashing a suspiciously innocent smile.

Kido huffed and pulled her hood farther into her face in embarrassment. She was cold. And her body appreciated the additional warmth by the boy next to her. There was no denying it. She would only make a fool out of herself if she so stubbornly claimed she was fine. So she swallowed her pride and let Kano wrap his arm around her and pull her closer.

However, she couldn't resist clicking her tongue in annoyance.

Kano had to chuckle. This girl was really fun to get on edge, he decided. Maybe he would keep her around for a little longer. His mother had always told him not to play with his food, but what does a dead person know.

After a long time of silence, with only the howling wind and the rain pounding against the wooden hut singing to their ears, Kido couldn't stand it anymore. She disliked silence. It always felt empty.

When she was a child her sister would always fill the space around her with pleasant chattering and her radiant laugh. It was never completely silent. There was always a song being hummed or a story being told. She couldn't remember a single moment of uncomfortable silence between her sister and her. After her passing, Kido had occupied herself with music. It was fairly common for a girl in their village to learn how to play an instrument or sing, so it was nothing special, but to Kido music meant the world. However, she didn't bring her flute. And she wasn't about to burst into song in front of this suspect stranger.

So she decided to at least try to start a conversation.

"So..." She cleared her throat.

"You're a werewolf, huh."

Yeah, good conversation starter. A+ social skills, Kido. She mentally scolded herself.

"Yup~!" Kano chimed, his tail wagging at the new opportunity to get a few funny reactions out of her. If he was going to spend the night with the human, he might as well exchange some information with her. It wasn't like she was going to be able to tell anyone in her precious village about it if she was never going to arrive there anyway.

"I only know rumours about you guys, so I'm just going to ask. Do you kill people?" she looked at him with serious eyes. She needed to know more about this peculiar being. How else was she supposed to trust him? And since there was no point in hiding her true intentions, she dared to ask the question that was nagging in the back of her head ever since he attacked her on the path.

Kano let out a shrill laugh.

"No way! Who told you that? That's just a rumour!" he lied through his teeth.

"Then why did you attack me? You even said you were going to eat me."

"I was just joking! I was really only trying to scare you so I could steal your basket and see what's inside~!" He smiled at her. Ah, how gullible humans are. It was adorable.

"...Alright." Kido had no choice but to believe him. She was stuck with him for now.

"And the thing about you turning into monsters during full moon, is that true?" she inquired.

"That one's true! But it's still a while until the next full moon, so you don't need to worry." He was right, it was still a week until the next full moon arrived.

"But let me tell you, never wander the woods like today when there's an actual full moon in the sky. You see, werewolves can't control themselves during a full moon, so you just might end up being ripped apart by me if you're not careful!" He explained with a cheeky smile. Completely unfitting for the morbid thing he just said, as Kido thought.

"I see. Though in our stories you appear to be normal humans instead of having..." she pointed at his wolf ears. "...those."

Kano flinched. That was a subject he didn't want to address.

"Well, then I guess your stories are flawed~." Was all he said on the matter.

Kido's curiosity wasn't satisfied yet. She wanted to know more about this creature before her. He didn't seem like the monsters she'd been told about as a child at all. Quite the contrary, he almost seemed a little clueless and kittenish. Much like a child.

"So your family are werewolves, too?" She wondered. Did they live in a pack like regular wolves, or in a family like she did? Maybe there was a cute little werewolf settlement deep in the forest. With their own little wolf bakery that only sold meat pies.

Kido shook her head to get rid of that childish idea. This was no time to give in to day dreams.

"Oh, I live alone. All werewolves do. If we don't there's just gonna be a lot of fighting during full moon, you know?" he explained, and Kido almost believed she spotted a tinge of sadness in his eyes despite his grin. Living all alone in such a big forest must be harsh. That explains why he's so scruffy looking. Kido couldn't imagine a life without a family to take care of. She pitied the boy, he must be really lonely.

"So! Now that you know so much about me, you have to tell me some things about yourself. First question, who are you visiting? There aren't many people living here. A few hunters and lumberjacks, but I can't really imagine what a girl like you would have to do with one of those."

"I'm visiting...an old friend." Kido answered. He answered her questions, so it was only fair if she answered his as well.

"My big sister and I used to visit her a lot when we were children. I haven't seen that girl in a long time, so I thought it was only right to come to her house again. She must be lonely."

"So you have a sister. How come she didn't accompany you? She's not a good big sister to let you out in the woods all alone." Kano sneered.

"She's dead."

"Oh."

Didn't expect that.

Kano felt uncomfortable having assumed the wrong thing. But he didn't really feel guilty about it. How was he supposed to know? Better to just change the topic.

"So how about the rest of your family?" He questioned her in a light tone. It was nice to have a conversation with someone. It was a foreign feeling he hadn't experienced in years. He liked it, he decided.

"Well, I live with my parents in a house by the mill. They're scientists and are in charge of improving the equipment used to treat the basic materials. I don't really know much about it, though." Kido explained while slumping against the wooden boards behind her. She felt tired and her eyelids were growing heavy.

"I see. Do all humans live together in families?" the werewolf asked as his gaze was fixed at a spot on the wall on the other side of the room, his voice laced with a tone of longing.

"Mhm." Was all Kido managed to get out.

"Do you still have some of those pastries left?"

* * *

Characters and Kagerou Project belong to Jin


	3. Chapter 3

Morning came sooner than expected. The sun had only been up for a short while and the sky was still tinged in pastel hues of pink and orange and blue. The air was fresh and dew coated the grass outside their little hut with a glistening blanket of ice crystals. Birds were chirping excitedly at the beginning of a new day.

Kido awoke to the cool air that filled her lungs, however, she felt strangely warm given the circumstances. In her sleep doused state she didn't question the source of warmth and instead, welcomed it gratefully. She let her mind wander. Slowly her memory of the day before returned to her, and she remembered her journey, the storm, how she had to stay the night, and a peculiar boy with a wolf's traits that was currently used as a pillow.

That's when her eyes shot open and she, now fully awake, raised her head to stare right into said boy's sleeping face. During the night they must have shifted into a lying position on the floor with her lying halfway on top of him, her head resting on his chest, and her cape covering them like a sorry excuse for a blanket. The exact moment the situation clicked in her head Kido let out a rather mortifying yell, accompanied by a startled shriek by Kano, and scrambled away from the werewolf while clumsily trying to get to her feet.

"What's wrong? Why're you screaming? Did you want to give me a heart attack?!" Kano screamed while clutching his shirt in shock.

"Shut up! Stay away from me!" Kido screamed in return.

"I didn't do anything! What's wrong with you, woman?" They stared at each other, panting, from their respective sides of the room.

"Just stay away from me! What are you, some kind of pervert?"

"Huh?"

"I sure as hell didn't fall asleep in such a position!"

"You're upset about that? You fell asleep and I wanted to get more comfortable! I didn't-"

He was knocked down before he could even finish his sentence. As his body hit the floor boards he could hear Kido gasp in surprise. He rolled onto his back just in time to be met with a fist to the face followed by somebody straddling his body by the waist. Once his eye coordination recovered from the blow he looked up to see the determined face of a young man a good head taller than him. Holding an axe above his head, ready to swing it down any moment.

The young wolf was paralyzed with fear. Never had he been in a situation like this before. He'd let his guard down for just one day and this is how he had to pay for it? Just because of a stupid accidental encounter with a human? How cruel. This was too cruel, too much to handle. He was scared.

All he could do was lift his arms in front of his face in an attempt to defend himself.

"Ah..!"

"Stop!" frantic footsteps approached them and he felt the weight being lifted off his chest. Kano dared to open one of his eyes. Kido had wrenched the axe from the man's hands and held it against his chest while urging him into a corner.

"Leave him alone! What do you think you're doing?!" she snarled at him full of rage, and if anyone thought her eyes were scary before, then this particular glare would have offed them for sure.

"W-wait, wasn't he..? Wasn't he attacking you?" The man stammered as he pressed himself against the wall.

"I'm pretty sure it was you who attacked us!" Kido pressed the axe harder on his chest, anger still burning inside her.

"It's a misunderstanding!" The young man, whom Kano suspected to be lumberjack judging by his clothes and well, axe, raised his hands in an attempt to appease the furious girl in front of him. His eyes screamed for mercy and had an honest apologetic glint in them.

"I just heard shouting from in here while passing by and I thought he was going to, you know..." He looked at Kano, who was sitting up from his spot on the floor and watched the scene with unsteady breathing as he still hadn't quite recovered from the shock yet.

"I thought he was going to do something to you. I just wanted to help, I promise!"

He looked at Kido pleadingly. If anyone had mastered the arts of the puppy face, then it was this guy. His honey coloured eyes were so innocent, it was almost ridiculous.

"Well. You. Didn't." Kido spat as she lifted the axe off his chest and took a few steps back.

"But fine. I believe you." The guy let out a sigh of relief as he lowered his hands and slumped against the wooden wall behind him. He reached out his hand to retrieve his axe, but Kido would have none of it.

"I'm keeping this, for now." She said with a sour voice soaked in venom and eyes as cold as ice.

Scary.

"R-right."

Then they turned their attention back to Kano, who got back to his feet. His knees were trembling, his stomach felt tense and his senses were alert. He was still in a state of shock. However, he pretended he was fine, as good as he could.

"Well, that was exciting." He joked and let out a hoarse chuckle.

"Are you alright? You're bleeding." Kido said as she approached him and cupped his face in her hands. She examined his head with concentration as she tried to estimate the damage. With nothing else to look at, Kano stared at her face while she was busying herself with spotting his wounds. Kido had a pretty face, he decided. Despite her scary eyes.

"Your ear, too..." She mumbled as she stepped aside to rummage through her basket.

Kano lifted his hand to touch his ear and indeed, he felt a sting as he struck what he thought to be a new cleft in his sensitive wolf ear. They were already chapped and torn, so it wasn't really surprise.

"Hey, um..." The tall figure of the man appeared before him. His shoulders were slumped and at the moment he looked like the physical manifestation of guilt.

"I'm really sorry for what I did. I-I thought you were one of those guys...!" The raven haired boy had his gaze fixed to the floor when Kido returned with some bandages and shoved the guy aside.

"Hold still. I'm cleaning your wounds now." She commanded.

"Ahaha, don't be silly, I'm fine! They'll heal on their own, trust me!" The werewolf tried to convince her. His pride was already six feet under, so why trample on the grave? After all, he wasn't only almost taken out by a human, but also saved by one. A girl, no less.

"Shut up. I said I'm cleaning them." She pushed him onto the solitary chair in the room and began working on his face. She wiped the blood that dropped from his nose away and cleaned the cut on his eyebrow. It hurt, whatever kind of liquid she put in his wounds. But he knew better than to complain.

It's been years since anyone had last taken care of him, so he chose to enjoy this moment and ignore the stinging sensation in his face.

After she was done cleaning she patched him up by putting a bandage here and there and once she felt she was finished examined her work once more. Deciding she was satisfied, she turned to the unknown boy that awkwardly stood behind them.

"Now that this is done, I have some questions for you."

The tall guy flinched and Kano couldn't help but chuckle. It was funny when you weren't on the receiving end of Kido's death glare. Kido noticed, too.

"You have nothing to fear, I told you I believe you. It was a misunderstanding, it happens." She stated. She wanted to solve this in a diplomatic way to avoid any further incidents.

"How about you introduce yourself first."

"I'm Seto. Seto Kousuke. I'm a lumberjack and was just on my way back home when I heard you guys." He explained, still visibly wary of the situation he found himself in. He shuffled his feet and his shoulders were as stiff as a log.

"Tsubomi Kido. And this is-" She was interrupted by an outburst of laughter courtesy of the wolf boy. She slowly turned to him and with a clenched jaw.

"What?" She growled through her teeth. She was already at her wit's end and surely didn't need any of his foolishness right now. This morning was as chaotic as it gets already and she didn't have the patience to deal with a mentally five year old right now.

"Tsubomi? That's your name?"Kano wheezed with laughter. Her? A cute little flower bud? If anything she seemed more like a thistle to him.

"W-what about it? It's not like you get to call me that, so what do you care?!" A huge bright blush spread across her face while Kido pulled her red hood down to try to hide it and Kano couldn't contain his giggles any longer. Kido was furious with anger and embarrassment, but refrained from hitting him due to his current state of being. She wasn't one to hit somebody who's already hurt. Yet.

Not even the villagers called her by that name. It was strictly reserved for her family and close friends.

"Nothing, nothing! Maybe my head's still a little dizzy, who knows~!"

She just shook her head at his utter idiocy and turned back to Seto.

"And this is Kano. He's a werewolf, but I think he's harmless, so you don't have to worry about him." She said and pointed at him with her newly acquired axe.

"I see, that explains the ears and tail then." Seto smiled. What a nice guy.

"So you guys are friends then? I really did misinterpret the situation earlier didn't I?" He gave an apologetic laugh and ran his hand through his hair.

"Not really." They both answered in unison, to which Seto sported a confused look.

"I'm just guiding little missy here to some place because she couldn't find it herself." Kano smirked, completely aware of the fact that he was taking advantage of his injuries to jab at her nerves without having to fear being punched. Kido clenched her fists and was basically cooking under her skin by now.

"Ah, I see! That's very nice of you." Seto seemed to be completely oblivious of the silent battle the two fellow teenagers before him seemed to fight.

"But might I ask which place it is? There aren't really too many places to visit around here."

"I was going to visit an old friend. She lives in a small house somewhere in the forest. I thought I would remember the way, but the old paths have withered away. It's close to the river and stands on a nice meadow.." Kido explained, somewhat lost in her memory of the place.

"Do you by any chance mean Mary's house?"

That got her right back to here and now.

"You know her?" She looked at him wide eyed.

"Yeah, I was actually on my way there! I've been living there with Mary for a while. I didn't know she had any friends beside me, she always seemed so lonely! It's good to know you came to visit her!" Seto beamed at Kido and took her hands in his out of excitement.

"Can you take me there?" "Of course!" The two of them squeezed each others' hands and exchanged looks of gratitude and happiness.

It left a bitter taste in Kano's mouth. So he wasn't needed anymore after all, huh? He'd been a fool to think he wouldn't be replaced the first chance she got. Who needs company anyway? Not him, that's who. He had gotten carried away from his original goal, and that was his mistake. He should just focus on that instead. He couldn't grab her while the lumberjack was around, so he would accompany them to that stupid house at the stupid river. Then he'd wait until the girl leaves on her own to go back home. Then he would kill her.

Sounds like a plan.

He almost felt disgusted by how happy those two looked. They thought they would have a nice reunion, then return to their everyday lives with their families and their houses and call it 'happiness'. Humans were so simple, really. Give them a smile, some comforting words and they're yours to use.

Definitely not something Kano needed, no.

Wolves were meant to be alone.

"I'll come along, too! It's safer if we all stick together, isn't it!" Kano smiled at them and they smiled back at him, nodding.

* * *

Characters and Kagerou Project belong to Jin


	4. Chapter 4

Kano watched the two humans walking a few steps ahead of him intently. His eyes held the cold stare of a traitor, a deceiver, a predator.

There they were, chattering so idly about their little friend in the woods, paying him no mind. They were so stupid to trust him, really. Kano almost scoffed at how disgusting it was.

The girl especially. How blue eyed do you have to be to trust every single individual you meet in a dark forest? He figured she was just stupid like that. She was not deserving of that colour she wore. No, he would make sure that the only red she got to wear was her own blood adorning her skin when he was done with her.

Truth be told, he had thought she was different. He had lost himself in the nostalgic feeling of company and even though he knew, he absolutely knew, that he would never ever be allowed to have the luxury of that, he had hoped that at least some sort of loose friendship would develop between them. It was a childish hope. He was a monster, he knew, and so did she. Of course she only saw him as that. And of course she would toddle after the next decent human being she could find and discard him completely.

So why bother?

He felt absolutely miserable. All he felt was hatred, betrayal and the anticipation of ripping his claws through that tender flesh of hers and staining that spotless skin with a deep crimson red.

His focused irises shifted to the green clad lumberjack. He was going to be a lot harder to kill. The werewolf had every intention of doing so, but he would have to be careful. He hadn't won that guy's trust, yet. And if a surprise attack failed, Kano wouldn't be able to last a fight against him. He'd encountered that fist once and would not do it again. Perhaps it would be smartest to just set a trap for the guy to fall into and rot.

Bloodthirsty thoughts filled Kano's mind. He had always been intent on letting his human side be the stronger one, not to give in to his beastly instincts. But he felt so, so deeply insulted by these two people. These two people who wouldn't know what it's like to be all alone. Wouldn't know what it's like to fend for themselves. To not have a place to go home to.

It was just too cruel to give him a taste of how sweet life could be only to let him starve again.

Still, Kano could at least make the best of this situation and gather some more information about those two. Maybe some things might come in handy.

So he quickened his pace a little to catch up with them and stopped just a bit behind them so he could eavesdrop on their conversation. With an artificial content smile, of course.

"So that's why you were in that old hut. I waited the storm out in a small inn just outside the forest. I can show you the way if you ever need to take shelter somewhere again!"

"That's okay. Once I know the way to Mary's house I won't wander so deep into the forest anymore. It was...accidental." Just say you got lost, girl.

"I see! So tell me, how did you and Mary meet? I mean she lives very secluded and the village is quite a way from there." Seto asked curiously.

"That was...my sister introduced us. She always told me about her 'friends in the forest', so when I asked her to take me with her one day, she took me to Mary's house."

"Now I remember!" Seto stopped in his tracks and hit his forehead with the palm of his hand, startling the other two.

"I knew I recognized your name from somewhere! Mary talked about you and how you used to visit her with your sister. What was her name again? Ayano, right!"

Kano froze.

He blanked out the rest of the conversation and stopped dead in his tracks.

_No..._

That Ayano. The girl who saved him from the freezing cold and numbing loneliness when no one else would. The girl who would spend time with him when every other creature would run away. The girl whose smile would never fail to brighten his gloomy days. The girl who he missed more than anything else in the world.

Were his ears deceiving him? Maybe they'd been so damaged that they'd gone bad? No, he heard that quite clearly. Kido was Ayano's younger sister.

Of course, of course. Red. How didn't he notice earlier? The irony of the situation slapped him in the face. The sister Ayano had told him about. It was her. The one she wanted him to meet someday.

The girl he was so anxious to kill just seconds ago, who was standing right in front of him, was indeed Ayano's precious younger sibling.

He let out the breath he didn't notice he was holding. His head felt like it was about to burst and his chest felt like it was collapsing on itself. It all made sense, but at the same time, it didn't. The beast inside him told him to hold onto the hateful feelings he had harboured before, while his human side, his heart, told him otherwise.

"Kano? What's wrong?"

He was pulled out of his daze as said girl was staring at him with those charcoal hues, practically just an arm's length away from him.

"H-huh?" He quickly regained his composure.

"Ah, it's nothing! I thought I heard something, but I was wrong. False alarm, whoops!" He tried to wave it off, which apparently worked as Kido simply resumed her spot at Seto's side and kept walking.

"Good." She said while tilting her head in his direction.

"But don't dawdle behind us all the time. It's unnerving."

"Right!" The young wolf caught up to the two others once again, this time walking beside them.

He forced his thoughts into the back of his head. He needed time. Time to think, to sort out his feelings. Time he didn't have right now.

Still, despite his efforts, his thoughts went crazy in his mind. He couldn't concentrate on any conversation, couldn't listen to any of their words, so he just let out a small laugh here and there, some approving sounds and some nodding, all while having a happy smile plastered onto his face.

His inner turmoil going entirely unnoticed.

Completely lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice a huge figure approaching them from behind. At least not until a dangerously deep groan silenced his two travelling companions.

They turned around only to be directly faced with a black bear.

As they stood rooted to the ground the animal stood up on its hind legs and roared, a clear sign of aggression.

_Bad. This is bad!_

"Get back!" Kano hissed and roughly shoved the other two behind him.

What were they supposed to do? Kano had never had to fight a bear, hell, he was sure he was never going to survive a fight with a bear.

He looked back at the others. They were both as shocked as he was. Kido was terrified and held onto her newly acquired axe tightly. Did she want to fight? There was no way they were going to survive this. Unless...

"You two go on ahead, I'll distract him! Just don't run or he'll want to chase you!" He whispered. He narrowed his sharpened eyes. His ears faced forward and the fur on his tail bristled. He was ready to try his luck.

"What?! Are you crazy? "Kido grabbed the back of his shirt as she gave him a harsh tug.

"You'll die!" she hissed through her teeth. The bear circled them, occasionally dashing a few steps closer and back again, as if bluff charging at them to estimate the threat they were posing.

"I can outrun him." Probably, he thought. He wasn't sure about this situation. He was scared even. Scared they would all die before he had a chance to make up his mind. Before he could make peace with the predicament that was Ayano and their promise.

"Like hell you will!" Kido spat again, still holding onto his shirt.

"Do you have a better idea?!"

"Anything's better than-"

"Both of you, it's okay." Seto interrupted calmly as he had already stepped out in front of them both and slowly made his way over to the dangerous animal.

"There, there, it's fine. We're no threat! Don't worry, we won't hurt you." He said, as he came to a halt in front of the black bear.

The animal eyed him intently and Kano and Kido could only stare in awe. Was everybody in this forest a mental case?

After a short while of staring the lumberjack raised his arms to ruffle the bear's fur with a light chuckle.

"See? Everything's fine." And indeed, the bear didn't attack. Instead, it took a few steps back, turned around and headed into a different direction.

Seto sighed contently.

"She was just worried about her cubs, you know, it's the season." He explained and turned around to face the other two, who still stood rooted to their spot with equally dumbfounded expressions.

"I-is something wrong?" He asked, a slightly nervous smile on his face.

"N-no, but...care to explain?" Kano asked, still not quite processing what had just happened here.

"Oh, I have a way with animals, it's no biggie!" he replied cheerfully, and waved the whole ordeal off.

"Come on, let's get going. Mary's waiting!" He cheered as he grabbed the others' hands and pulled them along with him.

Well, the day surely was full of surprises.

After another short while of walking, they were there.

They had followed the river, walked a few more trails and ended up on a sunlit meadow. They were greeted by the chirping of birds and the so familiar smell of freshly baked bread, just like Kido remembered.

Nothing had really changed. The house was still surrounded by beautiful flowers. Lovely pink roses and a thousand forget-me-nots adorned the space around the house while wild flowers of different colours littered the grass around it. The peaceful atmosphere Kido had always remembered so fondly was still as lively as it used to be. Kido had to give a placid smile.

Seto went ahead and knocked on the door.

"Mary, I'm back! And I've brought something for you!" He called and winked at his two friends while putting a finger over his lips, telling the two to be quiet. This was going to be a surprise.

"Seto!" The door opened and a girl with flowing white hair and a sky blue dress appeared in the doorway.

"Welcome back." She smiled. It was a warm smile. A smile that could only consist of purely innocent happiness.

"What did you bring? Is it a new book?" She beamed up at him and clapped her hands excitedly, not noticing the other two figures standing off to the side.

"No, sorry. But I think I've brought something way better." Seto softly put his hands on her shoulders and gently turned her into the direction of the two visitors.

"Look, over there."

There was an awkward silence. Mary gaped at the familiar face of her old friend and Kido averted her eyes, visibly uncomfortable. She hadn't thought this through. She hadn't thought about how to react when actually being face to face with the girl. What if she didn't want to see Kido? What if she hated her for being gone for so long? What if they didn't like each other? Kido had changed since she was small, and the other girl probably had, too. Damn, this situation was just awful. And the silence just dragged on. The other two looked at them expectantly. She had to do _something_.

She awkwardly raised her hand and gave a slight wave.

"Hi, Mary." She said. As soon as she had uttered those words the smaller girl had all but thrown herself into her arms.

"You're back! Kido, you're back!" She cried. "I thought you'd never come back! I- I missed you..!" The fluffy haired girl held tightly onto Kido and buried her face in her chest. Kido returned the embrace and smiled, feeling the weight of the world fall off her shoulders.

"I missed you, too, Mary. I really did." And she squeezed Mary just a little tighter. She felt so tiny and fragile in Kido's arms. To think that when they'd last met Mary had been taller than Kido was almost unimaginable now.

But that wasn't important. It was the right decision, coming here. Kido was really, truly happy.

They held each other for some moments, then pulled apart just enough to look at each other.

"Kido...I thought you'd abandoned me..." Mary sniffed. "Why did you and Ayano stop visiting me?"

Oh.

So she didn't know.

Mary rubbed her eyes to wipe away her tears. Her eyes were poofy and her face was flushed from crying.

"W-where is Ayano? Didn't she want to see me?" Mary looked up at Kido with sad eyes. It was hard, but Kido knew she had to tell her. She deserved to know.

She sighed and put her hands on the smaller girl's shoulders.

"Mary...listen, I hate to do this to you, but you have to know. My sister...she's dead."

She gasped and her eyes watered up again. Kido wrapped her arms around her.

"I'm sorry, Mary. But you know, if she was still with us, she would have loved to come visit you as well. I know that." Kido was sad as well, but gave the white haired girl a small comforting smile.

"You were really important to her, you know."

After a moment of silence Mary looked up again, smiling. It was a sad smile, but better than tears.

"Thank you, Kido. I'm just glad that you're here. That's all that matters now."

Kido gave a relieved sigh. At least her friend kept a positive view on things.

"Yeah. We have a lot to catch up on, after all."

The boys watched the girls' reunion from afar. It was a touching sight, and they figured they should give the two some space. It did look adorable, their hugging and whispering to each other.

After a while of just watching the scene before them, Seto cleared his throat.

"Hey...I want to apologize again for today. I feel really bad for hurting you like that." He looked at the shorter boy and at the bruises and scratches that obscured his features. He really felt horrible about this. He hurt an innocent person, with good intentions, but it still wasn't right. He would do his best to make it up to the boy before him.

Kano noticed his remorse and quickly gave Seto a reassuring grin.

"Ah, it's alright really. I'm a werewolf after all! These things heal quickly." He took off the patch Kido had put on one of his cuts to reveal that it had almost closed up completely.

"See, I'm fine! Takes more than that to take me down." Kano grinned mischievously.

"I'm relieved, then." The lumberjack smiled.

"A good guy like you doesn't deserve to get attacked like that, though. So I want to make it up to you!" Seto exclaimed.

"Starting today, consider us friends!" He hit the other's back amicably, mindful not to cause any further bruises, and threw his arm around his shoulders.

"F-friends?" The young werewolf stuttered. This guy was too kind for his own good. And while Kano appreciated the gesture, was it really alright to make friends this easily? To just decide that a friendship had been made when they'd been at each other's throats just this morning? Humans sure are weird creatures.

"Yup! And we'll start by having lunch together. Mary prepared soup, and since she always makes too much there should be enough for everybody. Come on, the girls are already on their way inside!" Seto pulled him along. And indeed, the girls were chattering happily while entering the house.

Both boys took a second to take in this peaceful scene before quickly snapping out of their daze. Seto's face was rather flushed.

But still, he chuckled.

"Mary's so happy. I'm glad you guys turned out to be nice. At first I thought the two of you were dangerous and scary with all your yelling and Kido's angry stare, haha!" He laughed.

"But now I know you would never do anything to hurt anyone. I'm glad!"

Kano looked back at the house, catching a glimpse of grass green hair through the window and his mood dulled. However, this change of atmosphere seemed to have gone unnoticed by the other.

"Yeah. I would never do anything bad."

Said the Big Bad Wolf.


	5. Chapter 5

The interior of the house was just as cute as the outside. Many bookshelves adorned the walls and there were flowers decorating the living area everywhere. The whole place smelled like spring flowers and spices Kano had never smelled before. The intense scent of cinnamon and vanilla burned in his nose, and he almost felt himself being swept away by the sensation. He felt charmed and captivated by the swirling mixture of scents that filled the air and clouded his mind. It was almost nauseating, so sweet it smelled.

"What is this...?" He breathed.

"Mary?" The green clad lumberjack asked into the room.

"W-we're in the kitchen!" Came a meek voice from around the corner.

It surely was a sight to behold.

Kido was currently trying to get flour out of a shamefaced Mary's hair while the whole kitchen area was a mess of spices and other ingredients. Differently coloured powder was on their faces and dresses while Mary hid her flushed face in her hands and Kido sported a rather dumbfounded expression.

"Were you baking? Didn't we want to eat lunch first?" Seto wondered while Kano immediately burst out laughing.

They looked ridiculous!

"I-I made cinnamon rolls for tea later, b-but they turned out bland, so Kido wanted to show me how to make them better!" Mary whimpered out between embarrassed sobs.

"She knocked over the shelf with the spice-achoo!" Kido tried to explain, but sneezed, engulfing herself in a cloud of flour and cinnamon, which sent Kano to the floor roaring with laughter.

"It's not funny!" Kido yelled and punched Kano's arm. There was now a fist shaped flour stain. Seto only chuckled at the whole ordeal.

"Guess it can't be helped then, hm?" He said, his gentle smile immediately calming the atmosphere.

After they swept and dusted away most of the mess, Seto had Mary and Kido sit on chairs and handed Kano a hairbrush.

"Let's help them get cleaned up! They both have long hair, so it must be hard to get it out all by yourself!"

Seto began working on Mary's mountain of cream coloured hair, while Kano placed himself behind Kido and studied the object in his hands. It was a fairly ordinary hairbrush.

"You don't have to do it." Kido said and held out her hand for the brush. "I'll do it myself."

"Nope! Do you think I'd miss a chance to mess with Kido's hair~? Well, you were wrong!" Kano chimed. "Now be a good girl and turn around, so I can do it properly."

"You better..." she warned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"If you do anything weird to it, I swear, I will shear you." The image of a bald Kano flashed in her mind, making her grin ever so slightly.

"Yeah yeah, whatever, princess." Kano grinned, well aware of the scowl that formed on her face. He made a note to think of more embarrassing nicknames to call her.

He took some strands of her moss green hair in his hand and gingerly led the brush through them, careful to get all of the flour and cinnamon out. The smell still bothered him. However, he found he quite enjoyed playing with the girl's hair and unconsciously started whistling some random tune he just made up. Her silky hair made him feel incredibly self-conscious of his own unkempt choppy tuft. It was short, so it didn't really matter that much, but in comparison to Seto's, whose hair was also short, it still looked unruly and wild.

But maybe he was supposed to look like that.

After he'd gotten out all of the spices he continued to brush her hair a little longer, occasionally running his fingers through it. It felt nice. Then he got an idea and parted the girl's hair in three parts and began braiding it.

"What are you doing? I told you not to mess with my hair!" Kido whirled around, clutching her hair defensively. It had taken forever to grow it out, and he was _not_ going to put those years of taking care of it to waste. He was lucky she let him touch it in the first place.

"Jeez, calm down, I was just braiding it." Kano sulked, "Think about it. If something like that happens again it will be easier to clean up if your hair was in a braid, wouldn't it~?" He argued, his lips shifting into a sly grin. Oh, messing with her was so much fun!

"Well...maybe." He's already got her wrapped around his finger now. He smirked.

"Fine." She sighed, "Just don't get any knots in it." She turned back around and left him to do his work.

His fingers worked swiftly in a practiced fashion and soon he secured the braid with a ribbon he found lying around.

"Wow, Kano's very good at doing that!" Mary said.

"Haha, you're right! Where did you learn to do it so well?" Seto asked, still fighting with Mary's giant amount of hair which seemed to be devouring the lumberjack at the moment. How strange. Did her hair just move by itself?

He looked back at the braid still in his hand. He did have a lot of practice. Back then, when he was still a child, his beloved Ayano showed him how to braid hair and would often let him do it for her. And even earlier than that, he'd loved brushing his mother's hair. It was very different from Kido's, though. His mother's hair had been the colour of sand and fell in waves like dunes. But that was a story for another time.

They were both gone now, so what did it matter.

A cold stare pulled him back into reality as he noticed Kido was staring at him from the corner of her eye, glancing at the braid still in his hands.

"Are you gonna let go of it or what?" She asked dryly.

"Ah, right! Sorry, sorry!" He laughed.

"Kano, can you braid mine, too?" Mary asked sheepishly. And even though the sheer mass of hair intimidated him, he nodded his head happily.

Meanwhile Kido had grabbed the brush and helped Seto cleaning the small girl's hair, since they were far from being done. And with all of them working together, the task soon was fulfilled and they sat at the table eating the soup Mary had prepared.

"It tastes good Mary! You've improved a lot!" Seto smiled and petted her head.

"Thank you! But you have to thank Kido, too! She added some spices before serving it to make it better." Mary explained, giving Kido a grateful smile and for a second Kano had to wonder why these people were so incredibly friendly. Sure, Kido was Mary's friend, but they hadn't seen each other for years. Kido could have easily poisoned the soup and no one would have suspected anything. Trust sure was a weird thing.

"Kido, you cook a lot, don't you? You seem to know your way around this stuff!" The raven haired boy said again.

"Uhm, I guess. My parents often travel to other villages due to their work, for research or whatever, so I do most of the cooking at home. It's really not a big deal." She blushed a bit at the indirect compliment from Seto's side and tugged at her hood to hide her face a little. So did she also make those pastries she'd been carrying?

"K-Kano?" A meek voice caught his attention as he expectantly looked at the white haired girl.

"I don't know if it's okay to ask this, but...I've been wondering about those?" She pointed at his ears.

"Oh! Right, I didn't explain. How rude of me~." He grinned.

"Well, you see, I have these ears because I'm a werewolf! But of course you don't need to be afraid of me. Then again, I could mistake that fluffy mane of yours for that of a sheep someday..." He pretended to sink deep into thought and furrowed his brows in faked concern.

"That would pose a problem..." He winked.

"W-w-w-what? N-No! I'm not a sheep! Don't try to eat me!" Mary screeched as she grabbed her hair and curled up into a screeching ball of hair, which ironically resembled a sheep in a way.

Kido shot him a glare as he burst out laughing, and she eventually flung her spoon at his head.

"Ouch! Ahaha, I was joking, I was joking! No need to worry." He raised his hands in defence and then rubbed his forehead where the spoon had hit him.

"So violent..." he thought.

"Anyway, Mary, you don't have to be scared just because I'm not human. I'm just like everyone else!"

"It's not that." Seto chuckled. "Mary isn't exactly human, too. So you should get along well."

Huh? Her, not human? What was she then, a were-sheep? He had to giggle at the thought.

"I-I'm a medusa." Mary said as she slowly emerged from her cocoon of hair.

Kido could only stare in disbelief.

Okay, so to get this straight. She was sitting at the table eating soup with a werewolf, a medusa, a hopefully human lumberjack she'd only just met who had attacked them this morning, in a secluded house in the middle of the forest. That seemed perfectly safe.

"This day can't get any crazier..." She thought.

However, she'd known Mary ever since she was a child. And now that she thought about it, Mary didn't seem to have grown at all since their last encounter, which was kinda suspicious. She hadn't really questioned it before. Seto seemed friendly enough, and while he did attack them this morning, it was only for her safety as he thought she was being assaulted. And for some reason, the guy had a very trustworthy aura about him, so she figured he was safe to trust.

That left the werewolf. Kido didn't know whether she could trust him or not. He was mischievous, that much she knew. And that could also mean he's not worth trusting. But so far he'd been accompanying her for almost two days and if he'd wanted to harm her he could have easily done so during the night. It wasn't like anyone would have heard her screams during the thunderstorm.

And to be fair, even though he was annoying, his jokes did lighten the mood every now and then. So for now, his presence shall be accepted.

That cheeky grin of his was sort of pleasant to look at, after all.

Kido dismissed her thoughts and simply settled to accepting the fact that she was surrounded by weird people. As long as they were nice, it was alright.

When everyone was done eating and the plates were put away Kano stretched and gave a yawn. He felt a little exhausted, being surrounded by such a colourful array of people with different personalities all day, and he felt somewhat uncomfortable. It was probably time for him to leave. He could keep an eye on them from the woods all the same and leave them to their- whatever it is they're doing.

"I don't want to overstay my welcome, so I'll leave you to your shenanigans now. The food was great and I'm charmed to have met you, Sheep girl, but I think I'll be on my way." He said with a grin and already strolled over to the front door when he felt a strong hand hold onto his arm.

"You're leaving already?" He turned to look into concerned, and maybe slightly hurt, honey irises.

"We barely even got to know each other, that won't do!" Said boy complained.

"Kano's going to stay for tea, won't he?" Mary asked and shot Kido a ridiculously heart warming glance.

"Well, I won't stop him." She simply said, but when Mary's expression turned even more pathetic and pleading, she caved in.

"But it would be rude to just leave like that." Kido added.

Ah, it was no use arguing with these people, was it?

"Oh well, I guess in that case I'll stay a while longer~!" the wolf smiled.

Mary and Seto gave delighted giggles and rambled on about what to do with their new friends, and Kano knew it was going to be a long day.

However, for some strange reason, he couldn't stop himself from smiling, in the most sincere way.

Hours had passed, and it was tea, supper and finally night.

They had wasted the whole day playing games and telling stories, and despite both Kido's and Kano's protests, they had been persuaded to stay the night.

It was a funny arrangement. Seto had dragged the two mattresses they owned into the living room and had gathered some blankets and pillows and laid them out on the floor.

The moon was high up in the sky and Kano listened to the soft snores of his 'friends'. He couldn't sleep. Not because his bedding was uncomfortable, no, far from that. In fact, this was the first time he'd sleep on an actual mattress ever. The best he had gotten before that was a bed made from hay with a sheet over it. No, he felt very comfortable. It was soft and warm, and the boy lying next to him didn't move around a lot, so nothing would disturb his slumber. It was pretty funny actually. While the girls had been talking for a while on the other side, Seto had been out like a light the second his head hit the pillows.

Kano envied him.

Now everything was silent. Everyone had fallen asleep hours ago, probably. And the silence was deafening.

Kano disliked silence. Silence meant he could only hear his thoughts. And his thoughts rarely told him anything good.

Just like tonight.

The young werewolf sat at the river with his feet swaying in the cool waves, having escaped the warm house. The silver moon shone and dipped his face in a soft, cold light as he gazed up at the clear night sky, a sigh escaping his lips. There were so many stars. So many stars, but there was only one moon and it was all alone.

And still, it shone.

As a child Kano had always wondered if the moon was lonely, like him. There were so many lights in the sky that shone just as brightly, yet not quite the same. The moon was different from all of them. There really was an affinity between the moon and the likes of him. Why else would it trigger the beast inside him whenever it stood in a full circle?

Yes, he was the moon and they were the stars.

Could he share his life with those people if the moon could share the sky with the stars? Maybe, if he was careful.

Kano let himself fall into the soft grass and closed his eyes.

Those people treated him kindly and called him a friend. They shared their food, their bedding, their smiles with him and welcomed him into their lives. And for the first time in years, the werewolf felt accepted. Almost like he belonged. Almost.

What should he do? Follow through with his original plan and use those humans to his advantage, or give in to his feelings, his longing, and give a new kind of life a chance?

What if _that_ happened again?

His heart hurt and he felt a harsh weight on his chest as he remembered. Oh and how he remembered the mangled body of the person he used to call a 'friend'. Her dark hair and clothes drenched in that disgusting red she had adored so much.

It was funny really, how fate played its cards.

That dark haired girl had been Ayano. His only friend. The only one he had when his mother was killed by strange men for a reason he didn't understand at the time. Of course he understood now. His mother, a human, took care of him despite him being a monster, which angered the other humans. That's why they had lived close to the woods, at the edge of the village just on the other side of the forest. But the humans wouldn't allow it, and tried to kill them.

When it happened he was able to escape. He ran and ran and ran until his feet wouldn't run anymore. And he was scared and cold and hungry, and he couldn't go back. He could never go back.

He missed his mother. And while her disciplinary methods had always been questionable, to put it nicely, she still took care of him even though he ruined her life by merely existing. And that, he was thankful for.

Weeks passed and he had been close to starvation, when he was found, passed out on the ground, by a young girl. That girl was Ayano.

She held him until he was warm and gave him her food. She would often walk in the forest and pay him a visit, always with a little present or a few funny stories to cheer him up. She didn't care if he was a monster, because to her, he was just a boy. And before long, they became friends, and he grew so very fond of her.

Until one fateful morning, after a starry night, her dead body was found on the path leading to the village.

And now, because of coincidence, destiny, whatever you want to call it, he crossed paths with said girl's sister.

Kano had to admit, there were similarities. Although Kido didn't look like Ayano at all, they shared many characteristics. Kano facepalmed at himself for not noticing earlier.  
That blind trust they threw at others and their caring nature, not to mention how scary they got when they were angered, and of course, the colour red. The more he thought about it, the more obvious it became.

Ah, how unfair. His resolve to kill meant nothing now. Was he given a new chance, or a new burden? He didn't know. But it was the least he could do.

"Don't worry Ayano, I'll protect that precious sister of yours. I won't let the same thing happen again. Promise." He uttered at the night sky.

It was the least he could give to her after all she had done for him. A promise. A bitter grin adorned his face as he felt tears slowly falling down the sides of his face.

"Why did you have to make things so difficult?" He whispered.

He would take the responsibility of protecting the red hooded girl. He would lock away his sins and demons deep inside his heart. He would never let anybody know, never let anybody see the beast he really was.

All for his beloved friend whom he had murdered one ominous full moon night.

The next morning they said their goodbyes and Kano accompanied 'little Red Riding Hood' to the edge of the forest to make sure she got home safely.

"Just don't try to attack me again next time, okay?" She said, giving him the tiniest smile.

The werewolf only shrugged his shoulders and saw her off as she walked the short distance to the village and disappeared between the buildings.

"Until next time..."

* * *

Characters and Kagerou Project belong to Jin

I'm sorry it took me a while to update, and sadly the schedule will continue to be slower from now on. Thank you for sticking around so far!


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